Code of Practice — Hazardous Manual Tasks

The full title is the Code of Practice: Hazardous Manual Tasks, published by Safe Work Australia. The code becomes legally binding from 1 July 2026 under Section 26A of the WHS Act. A hazardous manual task is any task that requires a person to lift, lower, push, pull, carry, move, hold, or restrain any person, animal, or thing, and involves one or more of the following characteristics: repetitive or sustained force, high or sudden force, repetitive movement, sustained or awkward posture, or exposure to vibration. The code covers the identification of hazardous manual tasks through workplace observation and consultation with workers, risk assessment using a structured methodology that considers the biomechanical risk factors, the implementation of controls following the hierarchy with emphasis on redesigning tasks and workstations, and the review of control effectiveness through injury data analysis and worker feedback.

The code applies to every PCBU across every industry because hazardous manual tasks are present in virtually all workplaces. Construction workers performing bricklaying, formwork, steel fixing, and material handling are covered. Manufacturing workers performing assembly, packing, loading, and machine operation must be protected. Healthcare workers performing patient handling, positioning, and transfer are captured. Warehouse and logistics workers performing order picking, palletising, and truck loading must comply. Agricultural workers performing harvesting, animal handling, and equipment maintenance are covered. Office workers performing sustained computer work with awkward posture are also captured where the code's risk factors are present. The code places the primary duty on the PCBU to identify hazardous manual tasks and implement controls, but workers also have duties to comply with reasonable instructions and use provided equipment correctly.

The code requires PCBUs to identify all hazardous manual tasks in the workplace through systematic observation, review of injury records, and consultation with workers who perform the tasks. Each identified task must be risk-assessed considering the postures adopted, the forces applied, the duration and frequency of the task, and any environmental factors such as confined workspace, slippery surfaces, or temperature extremes. Controls must follow the hierarchy of controls with a strong emphasis on eliminating or redesigning hazardous tasks rather than relying on manual handling training alone. The code explicitly states that manual handling training is not an effective standalone control and must be supplemented by task redesign, mechanical assistance, workstation modification, and job rotation. Specific control measures addressed in the code include mechanical lifting aids, adjustable workstation heights, task rotation schedules, team lifting protocols where individual handling is not practicable, and ergonomic tool design. Controls must be reviewed when injury patterns emerge or when work processes change.

First, conduct a hazardous manual task identification audit across all work areas, using a combination of workplace observation, worker consultation, and analysis of workers' compensation claims and incident reports to identify all tasks that involve the code's risk factors. Second, prioritise identified tasks for detailed risk assessment based on injury frequency, injury severity, and the number of workers performing the task, and conduct structured risk assessments using the methodology described in the code. Third, develop control plans for each high-priority task that apply the hierarchy of controls, with elimination or redesign as the preferred approach and training as a supplementary measure only. Fourth, implement controls and provide training that covers the correct use of mechanical aids, the rationale for workstation modifications, and the recognition of early musculoskeletal symptoms. Fifth, establish a review process that monitors musculoskeletal injury data, tracks worker feedback on control effectiveness, and triggers reassessment when injury patterns indicate that controls are not achieving the desired risk reduction.

While musculoskeletal injuries rarely result in fatalities, the cumulative cost of workers' compensation claims for manual task injuries is the largest single category of employer cost in the Australian workers' compensation system. After 1 July 2026, failure to follow the code constitutes a standalone offence. Category 2 penalties of up to $1,731,500 for a body corporate apply where workers are exposed to risk of serious musculoskeletal injury through inadequate manual task management. Improvement notices are commonly issued for workplaces where manual task controls are absent or inadequate, and non-compliance with an improvement notice is itself a separate offence. The regulator does not need to wait for an injury to occur — the mere failure to implement the code's risk management process is sufficient for enforcement action. Businesses that implement the code benefit from reduced workers' compensation premiums, reduced absenteeism, and improved productivity in addition to penalty avoidance.